Quarterback Darell Garretson may consider transferring his commitment from San Jose State to Colorado if new Buffaloes coach Mike MacIntyre asks him, Chandler (Ariz.) High coach Shaun Aguano said Tuesday.

The 6-foot, 205-pound Garretson threw for 3,100 yards and 27 touchdowns with six interceptions in leading Chandler to a 7-4 record this past season. He’s the only three-star recruit among San Jose State’s 10 commitments and was an Arizona Republic first-team all-stater.

Arizona State — Arizona Republic columnist Bob Young says Thursday night’s home game with second-ranked Oregon has similarities to 1996 upset of two-time defending champ Nebraska. Those Cornhuskers had won 26 in a row, including 37 in the regular season. Oregon has won three straight conference titles. Arizona State beat that Nebraska team, 19-0, with Scott Frost the Cornhuskers’ quarterback. Frost is now Oregon’s receivers coach. Quarterbacking that ASU team was Jake Plummer; quarterbacking this ASU team is Taylor Kelly, also an Idaho product.

A massive defensive tackle appears available for Colorado’s taking. Mike Pennel, the 6-foot-5, 355-pounder from Aurora’s Grandview High and Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College, has been suspended indefinitely at Arizona State.

Colorado offered him a scholarship before Dan Hawkins’ last season in 2010. Pennel wound up at JC where in two years he compiled 71 tackles, including 23 for loss and seven sacks. He was ranked the No. 6 JC defensive tackle in the country when he signed with ASU.

First-year ASU coach Todd Graham announced after Tuesday’s practice that he had suspended Pennel who never became the inside force expected. The suspension was for “not meeting team standards” and it may have started early in the year.

Utah — Quarterback Jordan Wynn leaves game with no regrets after injury that likely require a fourth surgery on his shoulders. A fourth-year junior, he had a 14-7 record and stands eighth on the school’s career passing list with 4,637 yards on 60-percent passing. His departure puts the job up between senior Jon Hays, Wynn’s replacement last year, and ballyhooed true freshman Travis Wilson: http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/utes/54873974-89/wynn-utah-football-career.html.csp?page=1.

Arizona State — Arizona Republic columnist Dan Bickley on Deantre Lewis’ move from tailback to defense almost two years after getting shot by a random bullet in Riverside, Calif: http://www.azcentral.com/sports/asu/articles/20120911football-player-deantre-lewis-selfless-act-arizona-state-isnt-all-sacrifice-its-chance-heal.html.

Arizona — John Bonano bounces back with three field goals against Oklahoma State after missing two against Toledo: http://azstarnet.com/sports/football/college/wildcats/arizona-football-john-bonano-s-big-rebound/article_1594680b-80ee-5fea-9706-43582cf4cb16.html.

UCLA — Houston is 0-2 but quarterback Dave Piland picking up where he left off in 2010 heading into Saturday’s UCLA game: http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/football/la-sp-piland-houston-ucla-20120912,0,6432903.story.

USC — It’s the last chance for many Trojans to beat Stanford: http://www.latimes.com/sports/college/usc/la-sp-0912-usc-football-20120912,0,145973.story.

California — Golden Bears seek tough bounce back at No. 12 Ohio State which has won 59 straight non-conference home games against unranked teams: http://www.insidebayarea.com/cal-bears/ci_21517243/cal-loses-offensive-lineman-matt-summers-gavin-ohio.

Oregon — Backups ready to fill in for All-American safety John Boyett and guard Carson York, both out for the year with knee injuries: http://www.registerguard.com/web/sports/28731085-41/boyett-patterson-safety-jackson-oregon.html.csp.

Washington — Seattle Times’ Bob Condotta blogs a poll question: Are you more concerned about season after blowout loss at LSU?: http://seattletimes.com/html/huskyfootballblog/2019127297_tonights_poll_—_are_you_more.html.

Washington State — Safety Deone Bucannon suspended for first half of Friday’s UNLV game for late hit to head on Eastern Washington receiver Greg Herd who suffered a concussion: http://www.spokesman.com/stories/2012/sep/11/pac-12-suspends-wsus-bucannon-one-half/.

Wilcox came from Tennessee after Nick Holt’s unit gave up a school-record 467 points last year, including a 67-56 Alamo Bowl loss to Baylor. Holt and two defensive assistants were fired and Wilcox was brought in to emphasize more man-to-man coverage in the secondary.

Erickson’s fate was sealed with a four-game losing streak that ended the regular season. His last victory was the 48-14 rout of visiting Colorado Oct. 29. Arizona State will go to a bowl game but it finished 6-6 after being favored to win the South Division by late September.

Arizona – Athletic director Greg Byrne announces hiring of Rich Rodriguez via Twitter. Five weeks of silence ended by hiring the failed Michigan coach who had three straight 11-win seasons at West Virginia and took the Mountaineers to within one win of the BCS Championship game.

Rodriguez, however, comes with some baggage. He put Michigan on three years probation for “minor offenses” of failing to monitor assistant coaches and exceeding practice times. He also had the worst defense in Michigan history.

However, the spread offense that worked so well at West Virginia and didn’t hit stride at Michigan should fit in Arizona. His only problem is he has spent his entire coaching career in the Eastern Time Zone and will have to establish some Western recruiting ties.

The Bruins’ last two wins over Cal and Arizona State has taken Neuheisel from the hot seat to the inside track on the South Division title. While he has won over some fans, others aren’t so sure. To insure his job status, Neuheisel, at 5-4, must win two of his last three regular season games starting with Utah on the road Saturday.

Then UCLA hosts Colorado and finishes at USC before a possible Pac-12 Championship game and then a bowl. A 7-5 record would insure a good bowl and should warrant an extension. A 6-6 mark would likely result in a pink slip as athletic director Bob Toledo fired Neuheisel’s two predecessors, Bob Toledo and Karl Dorrell, before bowl games.

Salt Lake City is experiencing Pac-12 fever already. Banners of Pac-12 teams flutter around campus and ticket sales have gone berserk. Only a few standing room only seats are left. In fact, Utah had a 98-percent renewal rate on season tickets even though prices went up 30-50 percent.

It also doesn’t hurt that Utah is considered a South Division contender. If it beats Washington, it’ll help set up a division showdown with Arizona State in Salt Lake City next week.

A major difference in the Pac-12 and Mountain West? Washington has sold 2,000 tickets for the game. Mountain West teams rarely travel that well.

Washington State — Spokane Spokesman-Review’s Vince Grippi on Pac-12 quarterbacks who occupying eight of the top 38 spots in the NCAA pass efficiency rankings. That includes Washington State’s Marshall Lobbestael.

Oregon State — Despite being one of seven winless teams in the country, being 119th out of 120 in pass defense and being 17 1/2-point underdogs at Arizona State Saturday, coach Mike Riley said it’s no time to panic.

Ta’amu set the tone in the Holiday Bowl when he recovered a fumble on Nebraska’s first series then later forced a holding call for a safety. However, he has been slowed by a broken bone in his right hand.

He’s a potential first-round draft pick and a great test for Nebraska’s struggling run game. The Cornhuskers are 24th nationally at 224 yards per game but many are from quarterback Taylor Martinez’s scrambles outside. Nebraska starts a true freshman at tackle and two sophomore guards.

Now they’re in the same conference. More importantly, they’re in the same division with the L.A. schools, meaning they’ll play every year in the richest recruiting ground in the West.

The next step is beating them on the field which is one reason Whittingham brought in offensive coordinator Norm Chow, who coached two Heisman Trophy winners at USC and helped the Trojans to a national title.

Kensler joined The Denver Post in 1989 and has covered a variety of beats, including Colorado, Colorado State, golf, Olympics and the Denver Broncos. His brush with greatness: losing in a two-on-two pickup basketball game at Ohio State against two-time Heisman Trophy winner Archie Griffin.

Terry Frei graduated from Wheat Ridge High School in the Denver area and has degrees in history and journalism from the University of Colorado-Boulder. He worked for the Rocky Mountain News while attending CU and joined the Post staff after graduation. He has also worked at the Oregonian in Portland, Ore., and The Sporting News. His seventh book, March 1939: Before the Madness, was issued in February 2014.